One of the best parts about planning your quince is getting to choose your damas and chambelanes—your quinceañera court! Of course you want to be surrounded by your best friends and family members on your big day, and selecting who gets to attend you is usually a blast. And if you need some tips, here are some pointers to keep in mind when choosing your quinceañera corte de honor.
You Don’t Need 14 Court Members
Traditionally, the birthday girl would select fourteen damas and fourteen chambelanes, with the fourteen symbolizing her age. However, these days, many girls decide to just select whoever they want, with no pressure to come up with (or narrow down to) fourteen. Some girls choose to have seven girls and seven boys to make the number fourteen, and some girls choose four damas and one chambelane (to make “1” and “4”). It’s your event, so it’s up to you!
Make Sure Your Court Knows Their Duties
Damas and chambelanes often have quite a few big responsibilities. The biggest is committing to rehearsals if you’re planning to have dance numbers at your quince that involves them (such as the waltz or surprise dance). Your court members are also expected to accompany you at the church ceremony and pose for photos with you. Other responsibilities may include things like renting a specific color or outfit, help with planning, and obviously being available all day of the event.
Select Members Who Will Be Happy To Cooperate
The day of your quinceañera will be long. It’s a big day, with a lot of big steps. Therefore, the corte de honor members you choose should be friends and/or family members that will have a great attitude and make you feel special. None of them should make you feel as though they’re doing you a big favor. They should eagerly attend choreography rehearsals and be excited about their duties to help you celebrate your milestone event.
Who Pays For What?
Before reaching out to friends and family members about being a corte de honor member, ask your parents about who will be paying for things such as the quinceañera attire and dancing lessons. Will the individual members need to pitch in themselves, or is the cost going to be covered by the party hosts? This is important to get clear before asking so that everyone understands what they are agreeing to.
Have A Handout
Some very organized birthday girls make a copy of everything that will be expected of her damas and chambelanes, and send this to them before accepting their answer. By having everything written out clearly for the potential members to read, absorb, and agree to, you will help eliminate the risk of someone agreeing to something they don’t fully understand. This copy should include all of their expected responsibilities (including choreography dates, availability, etc.) as well as the dress code and if they are expected to pay for their own attire. These copies can be cute and match the theme to your quinceañera so that they don’t look too stiff and “businesslike”.
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Hopefully these tips will help you choose your perfect corte de honor for your quinceañera. Remember, choose people who are close to you and who you want accompanying you all day. And if you’re still looking for the perfect Los Angeles quinceañera venue, check out what we offer at Olympia Banquet Hall. We provide a stunning ballroom for amazing quinceañeras of all sizes! For any questions, please contact us! We look forward to speaking with you!
